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Quatchtump
Padded with what looks to be half of a goatskin ponch, this Halaghi-sized shoulder implement is powered by a small steam engine which sits against the back. This, in turn, forces steam down large pipes into two large toggle pumps, one situated on each shoulder. Mounted atop the pumps are two foot long shafts of iron, and a four inch diameter steel piston at the end. Steel bars crisscross the device, providing both structural support and support for the wearer. A large, zinc switch is mounted just below the right shoulder, allowing the wearer to flip the switch and cause the toggle pump to alternate, causing one hammer to slam forwards, the other backwards. Flipping the switch back reverses this. More than 150 years ago, there lived a Halaghi by the name of Hal'noor. Hal'noor was a bit of an adventurer, exploring much of the nearby terrain and having the marks to prove it. By the end of his life, more than a third of his body was either missing or nonfunctional, but his stories earned him a place in Halaghi memory as someone who could think on his feet. During one adventure, Hal'noor stumbled upon the largest Quatch pack ever recorded, more than 60 beasts strong. As Quatches are known for their propensity for keeping interesting-looking objects, Hal'noor was sure their den held wonderful artifacts. So he kept his distance, watching to see if any returned to their den, so he could loot it. During the waiting process, Hal'noor's porter, Hal'vosh, was discovered by the Quatch, and summarily carted back to the pack as a plaything. Faced with the loss of his companion (and with the prospect of having to carry his own supplies), Hal'noor disassembled his goatnatcher and the large steam engine in his dirigible, fashioning a device that would strap to his shoulders, back, and head, and used steam power to force two large steam pistons that attached to his shoulders up and down like hammers. With this intimidating and extremely heavy device, Hal'noor dived into the Quatch pack, felling two at a time with the swinging hammers, and eventually saving a bruised but alive Hal'vosh. %r%r%tWhat most tales fail to mention is that the device ended up leading to the demise of the porter. One day soon afterwards, the pair came upon a herd of wild goats, and having had little to eat in a long time (as they no longer had their goatnatcher), Hal'noor ambushed the herd with the Quatchthump. As he smashed one of the goats against a rock, shards of bone exploded from the creature's body, a few burying themselves in Hal'vosh's chest and neck. The Halaghi lingered a few hours, then died. Saddened and annoyed by this loss, Hal'noor returned to his home in Nu-Halagh, putting the Quatchthump into storage and recruiting a new porter. The Quatchthump remained in storage until Hal'noor's death, when it was given to the master storyteller Hal'yin to use as a prop in his stories of Hal'noor. It was in this way that the Quatchthump was passed down from storyteller to storyteller, each using the device to illustrate the power of Halaghi ingenuity. Category: Chiaroscuro Relics